…and so we come to the first Dr. Who story of which no moving pictures exist. However, the soundtrack and photographs of the original broadcast do exist. The reasons for this have been documented extensively elsewhere so I’ll not say anything about it here.
I am watching this thanks to the reconstruction done by Loose Cannon. This reconstruction has also been colourised to add some extra interest and depth to this wonderul story. I have listened to the soundtrack many times while travelling but never actually ‘watched’ it.
It is a really excellent tale of the Doctor meeting Marco Polo in 12th Century China. There are some excellent characters in Tegana the Warlord, the child Ping Cho and in Marco Polo himself.
The story is very epic in scale covering a vast journey which the travellers have no choice but to go on as after the last story, the TARDIS has broken down again and so is added to Marco Polo’s caravan. The Doctor has every intention to fix the TARDIS en route but Marco has other ideas. He wants to go back to Venice and his plan to achieve it is to offer the Khan the TARDIS so that he is realeased fom the Khan’s service !
Despite the best efforts of Tegana to derail the journey and bring everyone to their deaths by draining the water supply, arranging bandits to attack them and capturing Barbara in the wonderfully entitled “Cave of 500 Eyes”, they reach the court of the great Khan.
It is a place alive with pagentry and colour. Things look grim for the TARDIS crew when the Khan wins a game of backgammon against the Doctor which means that the TARDIS will definately be Marco’s gift to the Khan.
Then in a final twist, the travellers work out that Tegana is not just an emissary from Nogai but in fact an assassin sent to kill the Khan and so allow Nogai to take the throne. Marco Polo and Tegana have a sword fight in which Marco is the victor. In the confusion after Tegana falls on his sword, Marco gives the Doctor the key to the TARDIS and the crew escape.
Having finished this tale, it is really a magnificent peice of televisoin. The writing, acting and scope of the production belies it’s early 1960’s origins. Although it is extreemly unlikely, it would be wonderful to think that somewhere in the world, there are 7 film cans that contain all the episodes to Marco Polo so that it could be seen again in all it’s magnificence.
Next Episode : The Sea of Death
peterjfield 
thanks